about 25% of cases, PNH is paraneoplastic and can predate the detection of a tumour by up to 4 years. The most commonly associated tumours are thymoma with or without MG and small cell lung cancer. Skeletal muscle overactivity usually dominates the presentation and tends to be triggered by exercise. Muscle twitching (fasciculations) and/or rippling (clinical myokymia) and painful cramps are the commonest, and often the only, presenting features. In the fully developed syndrome, however, there can also be stiffness, pseudomyotonia, pseudotetany, and weakness. Muscle hypertrophy can develop. The limbs, or limbs and trunk, muscles are most commonly affected, although facial, bulbar and respiratory muscles can also be involved.

I've seen that stat before, and I know it has been debunked by someone a lot smarter than me. Dig around in the archives, this isn't a new topic. I seriously doubt we are all walking around with undetected lung cancer.

BFS FAQ:1. No, that's not bulbar2. No, the location doesn't matter3. Yes, we have all had that symptom4. No, you're not the exception5. No, that's not ominous6. No, you don't need an EMG7. Yes, you will be fine

MarioMangler wrote:I've seen that stat before, and I know it has been debunked by someone a lot smarter than me. Dig around in the archives, this isn't a new topic. I seriously doubt we are all walking around with undetected lung cancer.

Last edited by MarioMangler on February 25th, 2009, 5:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

BFS FAQ:1. No, that's not bulbar2. No, the location doesn't matter3. Yes, we have all had that symptom4. No, you're not the exception5. No, that's not ominous6. No, you don't need an EMG7. Yes, you will be fine

Here's a thread where they discuss the link between twitching and lung cancer. You can read through it if you want, but it generally boils down to this:

1. Just because some PNH symptoms can come up with lung cancer, that doesn't necessarily mean they are the PNH symptoms we have. If a doctor suspected you had cancer, you would have been tested for it. Doctors look for more things than you think.

2. You would probably have more cancer symptoms than just muscle twitching. Lung cancer (like ALS) is an aggressive disease. After 3,4,5 months you'd think you'd have some breathing issues or a pretty serious cough or chest pain. My mom had lung cancer and she had a nasty, nasty cough that was pretty hard to miss.

3. In the many years that this site has been up, there has not been one anecdotal case where someone went from BFS to lung cancer. Not one. As in zero, ever. In fact, according to the message board archives, there was never one case over on braintalk among its members either. Obviously you can't account for everyone who has ever posted here, ever, but you'd think if there was actually one then we would have heard about it.

BFS FAQ:1. No, that's not bulbar2. No, the location doesn't matter3. Yes, we have all had that symptom4. No, you're not the exception5. No, that's not ominous6. No, you don't need an EMG7. Yes, you will be fine

MarioMangler wrote:Here's a thread where they discuss the link between twitching and lung cancer. You can read through it if you want, but it generally boils down to this:

1. Just because some PNH symptoms can come up with lung cancer, that doesn't necessarily mean they are the PNH symptoms we have. If a doctor suspected you had cancer, you would have been tested for it. Doctors look for more things than you think.

2. You would probably have more cancer symptoms than just muscle twitching. Lung cancer (like ALS) is an aggressive disease. After 3,4,5 months you'd think you'd have some breathing issues or a pretty serious cough or chest pain. My mom had lung cancer and she had a nasty, nasty cough that was pretty hard to miss.

3. In the many years that this site has been up, there has not been one anecdotal case where someone went from BFS to lung cancer. Not one. As in zero, ever. In fact, according to the message board archives, there was never one case over on braintalk among its members either. Obviously you can't account for everyone who has ever posted here, ever, but you'd think if there was actually one then we would have heard about it.

As for part 2; i'm having some sort of 'chronic hyperventilation' syndrome, which sometimes results in pins and needles, headaches, breathing difficulties and lightheadedness.. but its hard for me to think rationally while im worrying

well on the website they speam about a relation between twitching and all sort of cancer, mainly lung cancer but not only...they say that the bodys reaction aims to destroy the cancer but finally attacks the nervs by error. sounds rational to me. but mainly lungcancer has got other symptoms...

Yeah its quite known that neuromyotonia (sorry if its not in english) is often paraneoplastic, thats why I asked my doc to check tumourmarkers in my first bloodtests. Fortunately it is real nerve damage and can be seen on EMG.BTW nervousguy1 - I dont really mean it, but you were strictly against "scary" topics about ALS / BFS and now you are posting to public that twitching can precede cancer?! Hypocrisy

Blizna wrote:Yeah its quite known that neuromyotonia (sorry if its not in english) is often paraneoplastic, thats why I asked my doc to check tumourmarkers in my first bloodtests. Fortunately it is real nerve damage and can be seen on EMG.BTW nervousguy1 - I dont really mean it, but you were strictly against "scary" topics about ALS / BFS and now you are posting to public that twitching can precede cancer?! Hypocrisy

Maybe, but i dont think i just have BFS, since i have chronic pains all over my body that wax and wane. I fear that i have neuromyotonia

I was a smoker for 15 years and quit 3 1/2 years ago. I think I'd have some sort of cough, etc. by now too. My grandmother passed away from it and it was quite obvious; coughing up blood and such. It works pretty fast. She as diagnosed and within 3 months or less, she passed. I do also know a 35 year old that had cancer rampant through his body..it spread to his lungs too and within 4 WEEKS of diagnosis, he passed too. BUT he had other symptoms as well. Your breathing would be affected in SOME way or another. Interestingly enough, cancer doesn't scare me. I actually have friends that obsess over it - my dad does a little over pancreatic cancer and well, I just choose the degenerative muscle diseases to focus on!

Boo Boo wrote:I was a smoker for 15 years and quit 3 1/2 years ago. I think I'd have some sort of cough, etc. by now too. My grandmother passed away from it and it was quite obvious; coughing up blood and such. It works pretty fast. She as diagnosed and within 3 months or less, she passed. I do also know a 35 year old that had cancer rampant through his body..it spread to his lungs too and within 4 WEEKS of diagnosis, he passed too. BUT he had other symptoms as well. Your breathing would be affected in SOME way or another. Interestingly enough, cancer doesn't scare me. I actually have friends that obsess over it - my dad does a little over pancreatic cancer and well, I just choose the degenerative muscle diseases to focus on!

Aye, i'm suffering with this for 6 months now. Apart from the occasional lightheadedness and perceived heavy breathing( due to hyperventilating ), i guess im healthy. My doctor checked my lungs about 3 months ago and he didn't found anything unusual. I hate the hypochondria

Note : i smoked for 6 months till june 2008, so thats why i'm having a panic attack

No apologies necessary. I too, have fallen into the abyss, as you put it. Be happy you're 21! I'm 35 so I'm still considered young - yet almost to most disease age groups if you know what I mean! I try and be helpful towards others yet do a good deal of freaking out on my own. I haven't had tongue twitches yet I have been googling them like crazy since I'm convinced it's about to happen any minute now?? I lookl at my tongue incessantly, it's ridiculous! When i get a little facial twitch around my mouth, I'm like, was that my tongue?? and run to the mirror. My neuro looked in my mouth twice in January and said everything in there looks great and healthy yet ever since my clean limb EMG two weeks ago, I am now fixated on my face/mouth/tongue. What a frickin nightmare!!